François-Xavier Babineau

François-Xavier Babineau (21 March 1825 – 16 April 1890) was a Canadian Catholic priest, and the first New Brunswick-born Acadian to become a Catholic priest.

Babineau was born the son of prosperous farmers in New Brunswick. He received his early education locally and then studied at Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière in Canada East. He pursued further studies for the priesthood at Quebec City, and was ordained in 1851 by Bishop Charles-François Baillargeon.

Babineau returned to his home province to minister and served in a number of parishes. In 1859 at Cap-Pelé, he singlehandedly saw a number of his parishioners through a smallpox epidemic.

In 1864, François-Xavier became the first resident priest for Cap-Pelé and, over a number of years, ministered there and at Buctouche, New Brunswick [cite book |title=Dictionary of Canadian Biography |last=Brown |first=George W. |authorlink= |coauthors=David M. Hayne, Francess G. Halpenny, Ramsay Cook |year=1966 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location= |isbn=0802031420 |pages=63 ] . In 1878, being unhappy with his postings, he left the ministry. In 1881, he obtained a teaching certificate and finished his life in that capacity.

References

External links

* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=5352 Biography at "the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]